By: Luca Gomez
The Tribe found a way to get a massive conference win before the bye on Parents Weekend about two weeks ago. Fresh off a bye week, William & Mary (3–3) take on a major rival in Elon (4–3) at home in Williamsburg on Saturday. Both teams come in with the same conference record of 2–1, making this a major opportunity for either team to declare themselves in the CAA. This will be one of the Tribe’s toughest tests, as the stats show Elon is better than their record reflects. But how might the Tribe be able to overcome this hurdle? Here are three key matchups to watch at Zable on Saturday:
Matchup #1: Most Favorable for the Tribe
W&M TE Isaiah Lemmond vs. Elon Pass Defense
Isaiah Lemmond, the standout transfer from VMI, has quickly become the Tribe’s leading pass-catcher. He leads with 16 catches for 183 yards, making him the team’s third-leading receiver in yardage. Elon is very good on defense, but their one weakness is the passing game against wideouts. They allow an average of 245 passing yards per game and have also allowed six different receivers to record 100-yard games this season. This makes it a very favorable matchup for the Tribe’s passing game and QB Tyler Hughes, who is having a stellar season. Look for the senior receiver to try and get into the end zone for the first time this season against the Phoenix.
Matchup #2: Must Improve for the Tribe
W&M Run Defense vs. Elon Run Attack
I normally dedicate this section to a matchup that is “Primed to Improve.” However, the Tribe’s run defense is bad and has been consistently bad this season. It’s not a “primed to improve,” but instead a “must improve to win” situation against Elon on Saturday. William & Mary allows an FCS bottom-10 200.8 rushing yards per game, while the Phoenix lead the league in rushing with an average of 190.3 yards per game. This has been the Tribe’s Achilles’ heel the entire season. Sure, they’ve lost games by failing to convert drives in the fourth quarter, but the reason they’ve been down in those games is the gashing that some teams are putting on their front seven. This week, William & Mary face one of the best rushing teams in the conference, and if they want any shot at winning, it must be better this week.
Matchup #3: Dawg vs. Dawg Matchup
W&M CB Jalen Jones vs. Elon WR Isaiah Fuhrmann
Jalen Jones needs little introduction to a William & Mary football fan. The senior cornerback ranks fourth in program history in pass breakups, and he still has a year of eligibility left after this one. The team captain faces one of his toughest tests this season in Elon WR Isaiah Fuhrmann. He leads their team with 27 catches, 478 yards, and three touchdowns through just seven games this season for the Phoenix—as just a sophomore. If I were William & Mary’s defensive coordinator, I would have our best corner shadow him the entire game. Otherwise, he may be wide open as a play-action option to break up their stellar rushing attack. No matter what, I’m sure they’ll get plenty of snaps against each other on Saturday—and whoever wins those snaps may decide this game.
Photos courtesy of Tribe Athletics.
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